Sam Smith

Restoration Technician

As a Restoration Technician with STRAW I get to implement our riparian and salt marsh habitation restoration projects. This means leading K-12 students in planting during our restoration season (Oct-Apr) and watering and weeding our sites during maintenance season (May-Sep). You can find me at our headquarters in Petaluma or doing field work across Sonoma and Marin counties.

I love working with students and sharing my fascination in the web of life we are a part of. As an outdoor educator I try to highlight cross-species interactions like oak gall wasps, specialist pollinators and mycorrhizal fungi – relationships that uncover the interdependence of life and might encourage a more community oriented outlook. In my work I’m thrilled to help plants spread new roots, animals find new homes and young people make new connections.

I was born and raised in Chicago and came to California to attend Pomona College. Out of college I worked as an elementary school instructional assistant in Daly City, and then found a passion for plants working at a garden center. I joined the STRAW program as an apprentice in fall 2022, and am grateful to work outside with students and plants, creating healthier habitats.

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